COBAIN'S LEGACY

KURT COBAIN'S IMPACT

"I was just 13 when Kurt Cobain died, and I remember how black it felt. I also remember that there was a reaction, a general feeling that he was too beautiful and talented to be 'of this world.' Looking back, I wish there'd been a greater examination, less hushed wonder, about his death. He wasn't dealing with demons, he was just dark the way we all can be. Using art to explore those inclinations serves the wondrous purpose of binding you to people, and giving them the gift of knowing you've been in the same boat."-- Aurora Stewart de Pena, Playwright

"'Smells Like Teen Spirit' sounded like the truth to me. The lyrics were cryptic, it was angry and rebellious, but also exuberant and thoughtful and funny. The song was as various and heartfelt as my teenaged brain, and I related to it deeply without understanding precisely what it meant. It was the first time art touched my soul."--Liane Balaban, Actress

"When I first heard Nirvana I was ten or eleven years old, and the music spoke equally to my emotional and creative centers. It inspired me to pick up a guitar for the first time. It was raw, electric; it surged with feelings I had, but couldn't always express. And the music was so good, so honest, so badass. It was inspiring, motivating, and for all its darkness, strangely hopeful. It made me feel less lonely. I felt recognized."--Kathleen Munroe, Actress